Machine for forming package wrappers provided with a tearing strip



May 22, 1951 E. l.. SMITH ETAL 2,553,877 MACHINE FOR FORMING PACKAGE WRAPPERS PROVIDED WITH A TEARING STRIP Filed July 22, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY v7/142,

ATTORNEYS May 22, 1951 E. 1 SMITH ETAL 2,553,877

MACHINE FOR FORMING PACKAGE WRAPPERS PROVIDED WITH A TEARING STRIP Filed July 22, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 76 INVENToRs [mf/v [arm J/wr/l, IVM/1M Mlm/v M0 (i Mmc: /fff/M//m' BY WM ATTORNEYS May 22, 1951 v E. L. SMITH ETAL 2,553,877

MACHINE Foa FORMING PACKAGE: wRA Rs PROVIDED WITH A TEARING STR Filed July 22, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 [fil-ifm;

May 22, 1951 E. SMITH ETAL 2,553,877

MACHINE FOR FORMING PACKAGE wRAPPERs PROVIDED WITH A TEARING STRIP Filed July 22, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 22, 1951 E l. sMlTH E'rAL 2,553,877

MACHINE Fok EoRMING PACKAGE wRAPPERs PROVIDED WITH A TEARING STRIP 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 22, 1948 9A /35 /35 L /35 ATTORNEYS 6 S eeee s-Sheet 6 Filed July 22, 1948 Patented May 22, 1951 MACHINE FOR FORMING PACKAGE WRAP- PERS PROVIDED WITH A TEARING STRIP Elmer Lovell Smith, Longmeadow, and Norman W. Lyon and Clarence Freeman Prince, Springfield, Mass., assignors to Package Machinery Company, East Longmeadow, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 22, 1948, Serial No. 40,148

6 Claims. (Cl. 93-1) This invention relates to machines for producing wrapped articles having a tearing strip rand more particularly to means for associating the tearing strip with a wrapper in which articles are wrapped.

The usual function of the tearing strip is to facilitate removal of a portion of the wrapper to give easy access to the contents of the package, tearing strips for this purpose in the form of a length of narrow tape or cord have had extensive use in connection with the wrappings of such articles as cigarettes, gum, bottled goods, magazines and the like. One of the fields of greatest use is in cigarette packages which are commonly enclosed in an outer wrapping of ce1- lulosic sheeting or similar transparent material. These materials are relatively tough and resistant which while increasig the desirability of a tearing strip impose certain recognized problems in combining the tearing strip to the wrapper. Such materials for example are relatively resistant to die cutting, requiring that die cutters be kept sharp while at the same time the toughness of the material tends to a rapid dulling of the blades. One advantageous property of these materials, of which the present invention as later pointed out, takes novel advantage, is the comparative ease with which a tear on'ce initiated is propagated in the line of an applied force. In

common practice that edge of the Wrapper from which the gripping end of the tearing strip eX- tends is provided with short cuts, one at each side of the tearing strip, and extending parallel with the edges of the tape. The initiation of the tearing of the wrapper is thus facilitated when a tearing force is applied to the tape.

Desirably the tearing strip extends from one end of the wrapper to the other, is adhered to the Wrapper substantially throughout its length of contact with the wrapper, and extends at its outer or gripping end an adequate distance beyond the wrapper edge to render it easily grasped by the user. It is equally desirable that the tearing strip be placed accurately in relation to the body of the wrapper so that when the wrapper is applied to an article and the tearing strip is subsequently operated the portion of the wrapper thereby removed bears a desired relation to that left on the package. It is further desirable that the short cuts previously mentioned from which the tearing of the wrapper is propagated by the tearing strip, shall be parallel to, and equally spaced from, the side edges of the tape. It is still further desirable that the instrumentalities by which the assembly of the tape and wrapper is accomplished shall operate to secure the above mentioned features and shall at the same time be capable of operating at high speed over long periods Without the necessity of servicing or repair. It is also desirable that the length of the extension of the tearing strip beyond the outer edge of the paper be subject to easy adjustment.

As far as is known none of the prior art machines heretofore available are capable of securing all of the features above mentioned as desirable and it is the general object of the present invention to provide a combination of instrumentalities which will provide all of the enumerated advantages. Other and more specic objects will be made apparent in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an "elevational View looking from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view substantially in line 3-3 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3a is a detail elevational View showing the means for securing certain adjustments of the wrapper feed;

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view on a larger scale of one of the tape guides;

Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive are substantially full scale detail views showing successive steps in the operation of the tape looping lance;

Fig. l0 is a generally perspective detail View of the tape looping lance;

Fig. 11 is a detail elevational view of the gearing for driving lthe Wrapper cutter;

Fig. 12 is a sectional View substantially on line |2-l2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12a is a detail plan View of a guide for the assembled wrapper and tape webs;

Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view substantially on line lil-I3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the assembled Wrapper and tape webs;

Figs. 15, 16 andl'l are detail diagrammatic views showing the manner of severing the assembled Webs into wrappers;

Fig. 18 is a view of a severed and completed wrapper; and

Fig. 19 is a generally perspective view of an article enclosed in the wrapper of Fig. 18.

Referring to the drawings, a portion of a wrapping machine is generally indicated at l, part of the wrapping machine frame being indicated at 2. Four posts 3 rising from frame 2 support side frame members 4 and 5 which carry the wrapper and tape reeds and the mechanisms for assembling the tape and wrapper together.

As shown in Fig. 1 a web w of wrapping material such as transparent cellulosic sheeting or similar material is supplied from a roll indicated at R. The roll R is carried by a suitable reel 6 rotatably mounted on a cantilever shaft 1 supported from side frame 5.

The reel carries a brake drum 8 which is engaged by a brake shoe 9 pivoted at II! to frame 5. The shoe 9 is urged into frictional engagement with drum 8, to prevent overrunning oi the reel, by a spring II connected between the shoe and an extension I2 of frame member 5. As the web leaves the reel 6 it passes over a roll i3 carried by an arm i4 pivoted on the end of shaft 1. A spring I5 connects arm I4 to a pin I6 extending from shoe 9 on the opposite side of pivot I0 i'rom the shoe. Spring I I is stronger than spring I5 but in the event of an increase in the resistance of the reel the arm I4 will be drawn downwardly thus increasing the pull of spring I5 and decreasing the pressure oi brake shoe 9 on the brake drum 8. From roll I3 the wrapper web passes around a guide roll I1 to the stitching drum I3, later described.

The narrow tape t which is also preferably formed from a cellulosic sheeting is supplied from a spool i9 rotatably mounted on a cantilever shaft 29 carried by side frame 5. An adustable spring brake member 2I engages the flange oi". the spool to prevent overruning. From the spool the tape passes through a guide and tensioning device 22 and around a ilanged guide roll 23.

The device 22 as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, comprises a iorl: 24 carried at the end of a rod 25 secured to side frame 5. One arm of the fork is covered with a strip of felt 26 or other suitable frictional material against which the tape is pressed by a shoe 21 secured to the end of a stem 26 slidably mounted in a sleeve 29 which is threaded in the opposite arm of fork 24. A spring 3G surrounding stem 28 is engaged between shoe 21 and sleeve 29 to press the shoe against the tape and against the felt 26. The sleeve 29 is threaded into the fork 24 and the pressure exerted by spring 3U can therefore be adjusted. The tape can be released from the pressure of shoe 21 for threading purposes and the like by manually retracting stem 28. The tape is fed from spool I9 to the brake shoe 21 through a guide comprising an angle member 3| cut away at 32 to form half of the guide, the other half being formed by a cut 33 in a bar 34 pivoted at 35 to an angle 36. The angles 3l and 36 are secured by screws 31 to the felt carrying arm of forl; 24. The free end of bar 34 carries an operating handle 38 by which the bar 34 may be swung to the open position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. A spring 39 acts on the pivot 35 to maintain the bar in the position to which it is moved by the handle 38.

From the guide roll 23 the tape passes over a flange guide roll 40 (Fig. l) carried by the free end of a spring arm 4I, the other end of which is adjustably clamped to a rod 42 extending between the side frames. Beyond the guide roll 46 the tape passes around a flanged guide roll 43 carried by an arm 44 pivoted at 45. The opposite end of arm 44 carries a cam roll 46 engaging a cam 41 mounted on a shaft 48, the roll 46 being held in engagement with the cam by a spring 49. During the travel of the cam roll 46 over the low portion of cam 41 the tape pass- 4 ing around roll 43 is engaged by an adhesive applying disc 50 carried by a shaft 5I. The lower portion of disc 56 runs in an adhesive reservoir 52 from which adhesive is transferred to the tape by the disc. Periodically the cam roll 46 is engaged by the high portion 53 oi cam 41 thereby raising roll 43 to move the tape out of contact with the disc 56 thereby providing spaced lengths on the tape which are free of adhesive. As roll 43 is lifted, spring arm 4I and the guide roll 40 take up the resulting slack in the tape thereby keeping the tape in contact with the guide roll 43. The adhesive in reservoir 52 may be maintained at a predetermined temperature as by an electrical heating element indicated at 54.

From guide roll 43 the tape passes along and in contact with the under surface of a member 55, which is heated in any suitable manner as by an electrical heating element indicated at 56, and is adjustably supported from a rod 51 carried by the side frame 5. As the tape leaves the heated surface of member 55 it passes beneath a flanged guide pin 56 extending from a bracket 59 carried by the member 55.

From pin 53 the tape travels, as best shown in Fig. 5, in superposed relation with the web w to the stitching drum I3 and between the latter and the suriaceof a needle carrying drum 68. The drum 69 is provided with a plurality of recesses 6I in each of which is mounted a needle 62 secured by screws 63 to a block member 64 secured to a pivot shaft 65 journaled in the drum. The several shafts 65 extend outwardly or the drum and carry arms 66 provided on their free ends with rolls 61 engaging in a cam groove 66 oi a stationary face cam 69.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the drum 6I] is adjustably bolted to the flange 19 of a hub 1i secured to a short shaft 12. The drum is secured to flange 16 by bolts 'I3 passing through arcuate slots 14 in the drum so that the latter and the needles carried thereby can be angularly adjusted relative to the shaft 'I 2. The shaft 12 is journaled in a long bearing 15 formed at one end o f an arm 16 the other end of which is secured to a shaft 11 by a set screw 19. The cam 69 is xed, as by bolts 19, to a flange 89 formed on the adjacent end of bearing 15. The shaft 12 extends beyond the bearing 15 and carries a gear 9| Iby which shaft 12 is driven as later described.

The stitching drum I8 is secured on a shaft S2 journaled in vbearings 83 formed in the side frames 4 and 5 (Fig. 1). The drum I8 (Figs. 5-9) is formed with openings S4 which as the drums and It rotate are brought into registration with the recesses 6I of drum 60. The lperipheral surface of drum 60 is provided with inset rubber friction strips intermediate the recesses 6l between which and the the surface of drum I8 the tape and wrapper web 'are engaged between the stitching operations as later described. As the assembled wrapper and tape pass around the drum I8 they are engaged by a rubber feed roll 86 (Figs. 1 and 2) secured to a shaft 81 journaled at its ends in depending arms 88 pivoted on a shaft 89 extending between the side frames. Adjustable springs 90 connected between extensions 9| VVoi arms 68 and the frame press the roll 85 toward drum I3.

vraising the needle drum 60 from drum I9 Vand `for moving the feed roll 86 away from'drum I8. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 shaft 11 carries an arm 9| provided on its free end with a roll 92 engaged by a cam segment 93 secured to a stub shaft 94. Shaft 94 is provided with a handle 95 by which the shaft 94 and cam segment 93 may be rotated clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 to depress the arm 9| and raise the arm 16 by which needle drum 60 is carried. The movement of drum 60 is limited by an arm 36 (Fig. 3a.) secured to shaft 11 and having its free end movable between lugs 91, the upper side of arm 96 being engaged by a compression spring 98 carried by the upper lug while the lower side engages the end of stop screw 99 threaded in the lower lug. One of the arms 08 which carry shaft 81 of roll 36 extends from a hub which is formed with a projection |0| engageable by a cam surface |02 formed on a segment |03 secured to a stub shaft |04 to which is secured an operating handle |03 Upon counterclockwise movement of handle |05, as viewed in Fig. 1, the surface |02 engages projection |0| to swing roll 86 away from drum I8. Hub |00 carries an upwardly projecting arm |03 provided with a roll |01 engageable with an extension |08 from segment |03 to limit the clockwise movement of handle |05. Engagement of segment |03 with the hub |00 adjacent projection |0| holds roll 86 in open position during the threading operation.

The stitching of the tape through the wrapper is best shown in Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive. The needle 02 (Fig. 10) is formed with an open eye |09 which is flanked by blades ||0 having points and cutting edges ||2. As the needle carrier 60 rotates to bring one of the needles into proximity to the drum I8, cam roll 61 by its engageu ment with cam groove 68, tilts the needle block 64 by which it is carried to increase the projection of the needle outwardly of the drum. Upon continued rotation of drum 60 the traveling tape t is engaged in the eye |09 as the tape leaves the pin and is moved toward the traveling wrapper web w moving onto drum |8. As the needle carries the tape toward the web the points pierce the web as shown in Fig. 6, the cutting edges ||2 forming parallel cuts c (Fig. 14) in the web prior to the engagement of the tape with the web. As the needle is projected into the opposite opening 84 of drum I8 the portion of the wrapper between the parallel cuts is broken by shoulders ||3 at the sides of eye |09 and by the tape backed up Iby the eye, and the tape is carried through the web in the form of a loop Z. As will be apparent from Fig. 6 the leading portion of the wrapper and tape are firmly gripped between the rubber strips 85 and the surface of drum |8 as the tape is forced through the wrapper, the excess of tape needed for the formation of the loop being provided without shock by the yielding of spring arm 4| previously described. As is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the loop is completely formed before the tape and wrapper is engaged by Vstrips 35. The breaking of the web between the parallel cuts, made by the cutting edges ||2, forms long and short tabs respectively designated a and b which are bent inwardly of drum I8 at the ends of the loop as the latter is formed.

As drums 60 and i8 continue their rotation, cam groove 68 acts to retract the needle as in Fig. 9 and upon further rotation the needle is withdrawn from the loop Z leaving the latter in the opening 84 of drum |8. l

As will be understood, at least that portion of the loop which in its formation requires thatv the tape move' relative to the eye of the needle, and to that portion of the wrapper web with which it is in contact, is left free of adhesive through operation of the cam 41 previously described, the portion between the loops being adhered to the wrapper web.

From roll |8 the composite web, formed by the stitching operation just described, passes downwardly over a guide plate I4 (Figs. 1, 2 and 12a) secured to a cross bar ||5. The guide plate ||4 is formed with a groove ||6 to accommodate the passage of the tape loops Z, and preferably the surface is provided with antifriction ridges ||1. Beyond the plate ||4 the assembled webs pass through a guiding device generally indicated at H8, Figs. l, 2 and 12. As best shown in the latter figure the guide ||8 comprises pairs of opposed ribs |9, and ribs |20 opposed by channel members |2| which impart vertically extending temporary corrugations d to the web to stiffen it as it passes to the cutter hereinafter described.

As the composite web passes through the guide H8 its central portion is engaged between two feed rolls |22 and |23. Roll |22 is secured to a shaft |24 which is driven as later described and is provided with a hand wheel |25 by which the shaft can be manually turned in threading the web through the machine. Roll |23, which is rubber covered, is carried on a short shaft |26 journaled in the side members |21 of a rectangular frame (Figs. 2 and 13), the lower member of which is in the form of a bearing |28 by which the frame is pivoted on a cross rod |29. rI'he upper ends of side member |21 are connected by a bar |30 formed with a boss |3| (Fig. 13), which is engaged by a suitable spring pressed pin |32 which yieldingly presses roll |23 in the direction of roll |22. Pin |32 is carried by an arm |33 pivoted at |34 and provided with a handle by which the arm may be swung upwardly permitting the frame |21- |30 with its roll |23 to be swung outwardly for threading of the web. As best shown in Fig. 13 the guide ribs |20 and the adjacent ribs ||9 are carried by angle brackets |35 secured by screws |36 to bar |30 so that the ribs |20 and outer ribs ||9 are swung outwardly with roll |23.

Below feed rolls |22- |23 the composite web extends across the path of articles :c enteringY the wrapping machine and between a fixed blade |31 and a rotary blade |38 by which a wrapper y, as shown in Fig. 18, is severed from the web to be carried into the wrapping machine by the advancing article.

The fixed blade |31, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 13, is carried by a cross member |30 extending between blocks |43 secured to posts 3 by screws |4|. The blade |31 is adjustably mounted on member |39 by bolts |42 extending through suitable openings (not shown) in the blade and screws |43 engaging the rear edge of ther blade.

The rotatable blade |38 is adjustably secured by screws |44 to a hub |45 fixed to a shaft |46. Shaft |46 is driven at a non-uniform speed by elliptical gearing, as best shown in Fig. 11, vfrom shaft |24 which carries feed roll |22. Shaft |24 carries a gear |41 which meshes with a gear |48 secured to a stub shaft |49. Secured to shaft |49 is an elliptical gear |50 which meshes with an elliptical gear |5| secured to the knife shaft |46. The elliptical gears are so set on their respective shafts that the rotatable knife is moved suiciently slowly to permit the loop Z to pass the blade as shown in Fig. 15, the blade moving with '(5 increased rapidity throughthe cutting steps of Figs. 15, 16 and 17 so as to come in behind the loop and cut the tape and the wrapper web adjacent the trailing end of the loop.

The shaft |24 is driven from any suitable source of power (not shown) such as a driven shaft of the wrapping machine which it serves, by a sprocket chain |52 engaging around a sprocket |53 secured to shaft |24.

The other driven members of the machine are driven through shaft |24 by a chain ld, Figs. l and 2, which chain engages a sprocket |55 on shaft 12A. The sprocket chain |54 passes around a sprocket i@ secured to shaft 8, carrying cam 4l, a sprocket |57 secured to shaft 5| which carries adhesive applying disc 56 and a sprocket |58 secured to shaft 82 on which drum I8 is mounted. Shaft 82 carries a gear |59 (Figs. 2 and 3a) which meshes with the gear Si on shaft 12 of drum 5G. Gear 59 also meshes with a gear |63 secured to shaft 8l of feed roll 86 to drive the latter.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3a the sprocket |58 is adjustably secured to a flange |E| formed on a hub H52 which is Xed to shaft E2, the adjustinent being provided by bolts it which extend through arcuate slots iSd in the flange. By loosening bolts |53 the shaft Si may be moved relative to sprocket 58 and chain ld to thereby shift the position of the loop Z relative to the rotary blade |38 and thereby lengthen or shorten the extensions e and f of the tearing strip with respect to the ends of the wrapper.

Considering in more detail the operation as shown in Figs. 5 to 8 it will be seen that with the engagement of the tape t in the needle eye |99 in Fig. 5 the tape is held in predetermined central relation between the blades H2. As the needle advances through the positions of Figs. 6 and 7 the succeeding portion oi the tape is drawn through the needle into loop form .simultaneously with the formation of the parallel slits in the wrapper web by the blades. As shown in Fig. 6 the points lil of the blade pierce the wrapper in advance of contact of the tape with the wrapper to initiate the cuts and the blades are in the cuts at the time the tape engages the Wrapper. rlhe portion oi" the wrapper underlying the tape as the tape and wrapper are brought into engagement is uncut and continuous in the direction oi movement or" the webs. the fact that the needle and the cutting blades form a unit and the fact that the action of positioning the tape and forming the side cuts are substantially simultaneous assures an accurate positioning of the tape between and parallel with the cuts. As the blades further penetrate the wrapper the lengths of the cuts are increased by a drawing cut in the direction of wrapper travel. The wrapper is easily pierced by the pointed blades and due to drawing type of cutting action, as distinguished from die cutting, the slits are formed without substantial resistance and the blades remain sharp over a long period of constant use.

As best shown in Fig. i the spaces between the eye |69 and blades i2 are occupied by the shoulders H3 which present a relatively sharp angular edge to the web between the tape and blades.- As the tape is pressed against the wrapper web the latter bridges the opening 84 and is in a sufficiently taut condition so that continued pressure by the shoulders H3 breaks the wrapper web cleanly between the eye and the cuts being formed by the blades H2. The portion of the wrapper immediately beneath the tape This and and eye of the needle is immediately and easily broken by the continued advance of the needle through the wrapper web. The operation of the needle is so rapid that the forming of the parallel slitsjthe positioning of the tape with respect to the blades and on the wrapper, and the penetration of the tape through the wrapper into loop form are substantially simultaneous. The result is a more accurate and faster operation than where the wrapper web is precut with parallel slits and cross cuts and the tape subsequently registered over the cuts and pushed through as has previousiy been proposed.

As the opening 84 advances beneath drum B0 the needle carrying block is tilted by cam 63 to the position of Figs. 7 and 8 and then to the position of Fig. 9 to free the needle in the loop, and to clear the blades from the cuts and the forward edge of opening 86 for free withdrawal of the needle and blades from the opening.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine for forming a wrapper provided with a tearing strip, means for advancing webs of wrapper material and tearing strip material in spaced relation, means to apply adhesive to spaced portions of the tearing strip, a needle member having spaced piercing and slitting blades with an open eye between them, means to move said member to successively engage the non-adhesive portions of the tearing strip web in said open eye and to advance said blades and engaged portion oi the tearing strip web toward and through the wrapper web, to project the nonadhesive coated portions of the tearing strip web in spaced loops extending through and beyond the wrapper web, and means to press the adhesive coated portions of the tearing strip web to the wrapper web adjacent the loops.

2. In a machine for forming a wrapper provided with a tearing strip, means for continuously advancing webs of wrapper material and tearing strip material, said means including opposed rotatable drums, means to rotate said drums, one of said drums having an opening, means to guide the wrapper web onto the surface of the latter drum and over said opening, an open eyed needle carried by the other drum and positioned to enter said opening as the drums rotate, said needle including two spaced pointed blades positioned one at each side of the needle eye and engaging the wrapper web over said opening to form parallel slits therein, means guiding the tearing strip into position to be engaged in the eye of the needle and carried thereby against the wrapper web between the slits as the latter are formed and upon further advance of the needle into said opening to simultaneously rupture the wrapper web between the slits and draw a succeeding portion of the tearing strip web through the eye into projecting loop form in said opening.

3. In a machine for forming a wrapper provided With a tearing strip, means for continuously advancing webs of wrapper material and tearing strip material, said means including opposed rotatable drums, means to rotate said drums, one of said drums having an opening, means to guide the wrapper web onto the surface of the latter drum and over said opening, an open eyed needle carried by the other drum and positioned to enter said opening as the drums rotate, said needle including two spaced pointed blades positioned one at each side of the needle eye, the points or" the blades extending outwardly beyond the eye of the needle, the cutting edges of the blades being directed in the direction of travel of the webs and extending inwardly from the eye of the needle, said blades engaging the wrapper web over said opening to form parallel slits therein, means guiding the tearing strip web into position to be engaged in the eye of the needle and carried thereby against the wrapper Web between the slits as the latter are formed and upon further advance of the needle into said opening to simultaneously rupture the wrapper web between the slits at a point adjacent the trailing end of the slits and draw a succeeding portion of the tearing strip web through the eye into a loop form projecting inwardly of said opening, and cutting means engaging the webs intermediate the ends of said slits and adjacent the trailing end of said loop to sever the webs transversely.

4. In a machine for forming a wrapper provided with a tearing strip, means for continuously advancing webs of wrapper material and tearing strip material, said means. including opposed rotatable drums, means to rotate said drums, one of said drums having an opening, an open eyed needle pivoted to the other drum and extending outwardly therefrom in position to enter said opening as the drums rotate, said` needle being provided with spaced cutting blades positioned one at each side of the eye and extending beyond the latter, means to guide the wrapper web onto the surface of the first drum and over said opening therein, means to guide the tearing strip web into position to be engaged in the eye of the needle and moved into contact with the wrapper end as the needle advances toward said opening, said blades piercing the wrapper web to form spaced parallel slits between which the eye of the needle engages the wrapper web to simultaneously rupture the wrapper between the slits and draw a succeeding portion of the tearing strip web through the eye into a loop form projecting inwardly of said opening and cam means to swing said needle about its pivot to increase its projection from the drum as the needle engages the tearing strip web and to reduce its projection as the loop is formed and the needle withdrawn from said opening upon continued rotation of the rolls.

5. In a machine for forming a wrapper provided with a tearing strip, means for advancing webs of wrapper material and tearing strip material, means for substantially simultaneously formingparallel cuts in the wrapper web and forcing a portion of the tearing strip web through the Wrapper web to project it in loop form from the opposite face of the wrapper Web 1U and means to sever the webs transversely adjacent the trailing end of the loop, said severing means comprising a rotating blade positioned on the side of the wrapper web from which the loop projects, a xed blade positioned on the opposite side of the wrapper web for cooperation with the rotating blade and means to rotate the latter blade at a peripheral speed less than the linear speed of the webs to permit the projecting loop to pass the rotating blade and to thereafter increase the speed of the rotating blade to engage the webs forwardly of and adjacent the trailing end of the loop and sever the webs transversely.

6. In a machine for forming a Wrapper provided with a tearing strip, means for advancing webs of wrapper material and tearing strip material, means to apply adhesive to spaced portions of the tearing strip, a needle member having spaced piercing blades with an open eye between them, means to move said member to successively engage non adhesive portions of the tearing strip web in said open eye and to advance said blades and the engaged portion of the tearing strip web through the wrapper web, to project the non adhesive portions of the tearing strip` web in spaced loops extending Vthrough and beyond the wrapper web, means to press the adhesive portions of the tearing strip web to the wrapper web adjacent the loop, a rotating blade positioned on the side of the wrapper from which the loop projects, a fixed blade positioned on the opposite side of the wrapper for cooperation with the rotating blade, means to drive the latter blade at a peripheral speed less than the linear speed oi the Webs to permit the projecting loops to pass the rotating blade and to thereafter increase the speed of the rotating blade to engage the webs forwardly of and adjacent the trailing end of the loops and sever individual wrappers from the webs, and means to adjust the cycles of operation of the loop forming means and the rotary blade with respect to each other.

ELMER LOVELL SMITH.

NORMAN W. LYON.

CLARENCE FREEMAN PRINCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,265,609 Milmoe et a1 Dec. 9, 19-11 2,272,407 Heckman Feb. 10, 1942 2,360,845 Bronander Oct. 24, 1944 

